


Just a Little Late

by Dazzledfirestar



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M, SHIELD Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 05:59:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5364041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazzledfirestar/pseuds/Dazzledfirestar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint hates that he missed Christmas (and New Years and everything else) for a mission.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Little Late

**Author's Note:**

> Written for prompt #33 for Feelstide 2015

It was far from the first time Clint had found himself stuck somewhere awful on Christmas Eve. It was also far from the first time he’d stayed stuck there through Christmas day.

And Boxing Day.

And New Year’s.

And Orthodox Christmas… which he didn’t celebrate but Nat usually made dinner and they’d all go over and argue about the worth of meatless dishes. The pierogis usually made sure he didn’t notice the lack of turkey or ham or a steak though.

And he was missing that too.

It wouldn’t even be that bad if they were actually doing anything on this particular mission in this particular shit hole. But their target was particularly cagey and they’d go days without seeing any movement at all. That topped off with the turkey sandwiches from… well, he didn’t ask where and frankly probably didn’t want to know where either, and Clint was itching to put a bullet in this particular target.

Not kill him though.

Just wing him a little bit.

A flesh wound.

That feeling grew to taking off an ear or aiming a little lower as the weeks rolled on though. When they finally do take him into custody—thank you tranq darts—Clint finds himself really fighting the urge to kick him while he’s passed out in the back of the truck.

By that point, it’s early February and as the quinjet lands at base, he finds himself muttering about how at least he made it home in time for Valentine’s Day. Though he’s pretty sure he’s going to drop the ball on that too since he feels like he could sleep for a couple weeks straight. Looking back, he could never really remember filing the paperwork or putting any of the SHIELD gear away. He knew he’d done it but the first real clear memory was getting in the door of the apartment.

And that was when things got a little weird.

The twinkling, colorful lights across the mantle were the first clue that something was definitely going on. Followed by the tree in the corner, complete with presents still under it. That would have been enough to tip him off if he wasn’t running on empty. Phil usually had the tree down shortly after their standard dinner with Natasha—because you still need a tree for Orthodox Christmas, Phil. Don’t be a Grinch—but even that god awful ceramic tree thing that Phil and Nick laughed over every year was in its usual place smack in the middle of the coffee table.

For a moment, he wondered if he’d hit some kind of time warp on the way home.

He must have looked pretty confused as Phil came out of the kitchen, followed by the sound of Natasha’s laugh. The one that usually accompanied the yearly argument about her giving Nick the recipe for the filling in her pierogis.

Yeah, he’d hit a time warp. There was no other explanation.

Phil took his bags with a smile. “Welcome home.”

“Thanks.” Clint smiled and leaned into the kiss Phil pressed to his lips. “What’s—“

“Christmas.” He said with a smile and a shrug. “What else would it be?”

Before Clint could say anything else, Phil turned and took his bags to the bedroom. Confusion didn’t really lift as he went into the kitchen. Nick and Nat were clearly busy getting dinner going. The full Christmas dinner, complete with Nick’s should-be-famous-but-I’m-a-spy-damn-it turkey gravy. The place smelled amazing and he took a moment to just enjoy it.

“Somebody want to fill me in on what’s going on?” He finally spoke and they both turned to smile at him.

“Christmas.” Nick said with the same obvious tone Phil had earlier. He shrugged and went back to basting the turkey.

Natasha wasn’t really much help either. “Maria should be here soon with the wine. Jasper said he’d bring desert. And Melinda is picking up her mom before they come over. She made a batch of moon cakes. Melinda said she said we’re lucky she’s retired.” She laughed softly before pulling out a chair. “You want to sit down or are you going to go jump on your boyfriend?”

Clint smiled. Everything she said in rapid fire sinking in slowly. Every bit of it sounded like their usual Christmas night festivities. “You guys know its February, right?”

Natasha smirked. “Go talk to Phil.”

He nodded and headed back to the bed room. Phil had his bags on the bed, ready to be unpacked. Clint leaned on the door frame for a moment. “You delayed Christmas? For me?”

Phil blushed a little and shrugged. “Didn’t seem right to do everything without the whole family here.”

“Guess so. But I would have settled for turkey sandwiches.”

“I didn’t have to do much convincing. Besides, this is a pretty great way to come home, isn’t it?”

“The best.” Clint moved in, pressing a kiss to Phil’s lips. “Think we’ve got time before everyone else gets here to—“ 

They both looked toward the door as the buzzer went, letting them know someone was at the door. “I don’t think so.” Phil smiled. “That’ll have to be your present later.”

“Can’t wait.”

“Merry Christmas, Clint.”

“Happy February, Phil.”

“At least play along, okay?”

“Okay.”


End file.
